Angels are encouraged by comeback

ANAHEIM For eight innings, CC Sabathia tranquilized the Angels' offense. Just two runners reached scoring position and neither of them scored.

Going to the ninth, Angels hitters just needed to knock the Yankees ace out of the game.

“Get to the bullpen,” outfielder Peter Bourjos said. “Whoever we could get out there.”

Mike Trout led off the ninth with a double, and soon, Sabathia departed.

But the Angels still were trailing, 6-0.

They also faced a normally impenetrable back of the Yankees bullpen — David Robertson and Mariano Rivera. Robertson entered Sunday with a 2.30 ERA, and Rivera had not blown a save against the Angels since 2004.

Yet by the time Albert Pujols came up to bat for the second time in the ninth inning, the bases were loaded with the Angels down, 6-5.

The Angels scored five runs on five hits in the ninth. Four straight batters reached against Rivera with two outs.

The game ended in a showdown between two of the greatest players in the past decade — where Rivera struck out Pujols to close out a Yankees win.

The Angels fell 11 games behind the Oakland Athletics in the American League West with the defeat, but Angels players said they gained momentum from the ninth inning Sunday.

“It's a lot better than going out like we had in the past, where there's no energy and we end up losing 6-0 and not scoring any runs,” Bourjos said.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi pulled Sabathia two batters into the ninth inning, after Trout doubled to left field and Pujols walked.

Robertson came in to face Mark Trumbo, but Trumbo hit a line drive that bounced off Robertson and into right field.

Trout scored to get the Angels on the scoreboard. Rivera came in three batters later, and got Erick Aybar to ground to first for the second out with the Yankees ahead, 6-2.

Down to their final out, four consecutive Angels reached base.

Alberto Callaspo drove a 1-0 pitch to right field for a two-run single to cut the deficit in half.

Pinch hitter Brad Hawpe, who was 0 for 5 as an Angel entering the at-bat, fouled off four pitches before singling to left on the seventh pitch of the at-bat. Bourjos singled Callaspo home, and Trout's walk loaded the bases.

Pujols came up to complete the comeback. With no balls and two strikes, Rivera went upstairs with the pitch.

Pujols couldn't hold up.

“Out of 10 times, I probably come through five times so I can't be frustrated,” said Pujols, who went 0 for 4 with a walk.

“This is just part of the game and like I didn't come through today, another time I probably will.”